


Topsy Turvy

by qwanderer



Series: The Completely Non-Sexual Romantic Life of Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons [4]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, Spoilers, Unconventional Relationship, slight angst, spoilers for episode: Providence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-16
Updated: 2014-04-16
Packaged: 2018-01-19 15:56:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1475587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qwanderer/pseuds/qwanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>FitzSimmons could really use a distraction right now, and they aren't always the best at distracting each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Topsy Turvy

They'd talked it over many times before, because neither of them wanted to get in the other's way, but neither of them wanted to leave the other out of their sex lives. Because they were in love, and it just wouldn't have felt right. So yes, they'd talked about a threesome, pursuing someone they both wanted. 

Their tastes weren't so terribly different, when it came down to it - they'd both ogled Mike when he'd gotten geared up with their team in his nice sleek combat gear that they'd designed. So Fitz wasn't surprised when he noticed Simmons responding to the flirting of Agent Triplett. 

He was a little surprised that Jemma insisted he was trustworthy, vouched for his inclusion in what was now apparently a rogue unit rather than a SHIELD team. But he didn't know what she'd gone through, in there, with him. The chaos in SHIELD had changed everything. Jemma had been with him and she'd come back to them safe. So Fitz owed him a chance. 

He was helpful in getting the plane ready to fly again - he was a good fighter, but he was a specialist first, book smart, and he knew SHIELD equipment - and in the process he made it clear that he had _exceptionally_ nice arms. 

But it was how things played out once they were in the air that really made up Fitz's mind. 

The work had made things bearable - there had been a concrete task they could focus on, could tell themselves they were doing all they could. But once the Bus was airborne, all that was gone, and they were puttering around the garage and lab, trying to either focus or relax and succeeding at neither. 

Their world was falling apart. And now they had the space to start to realize everything that meant. 

Simmons paced the lab, shaking her head and muttering to herself, and occasionally asking semi-rhetorical questions and/or squeaking in frustration or fear. Fitz could see her thinking the way she sometimes did, vibrating with tension and getting caught up in little spiralling eddies of thought, running into dead ends and flailing. And honestly, he was in a similar state, even if he was a bit more quiet about it. 

"But what if..." she said, and then trailed off. "No, that's no good at all. But I can't just sit here and do nothing! Agents are dying!" 

Triplett stepped up to her side and squeezed her shoulder with one of his huge, competent brown hands. "Hey," he said. "I remember how you were with Skye, and you're the one I want in my corner when shit like that goes down. But right now, we've gotta let things shake out, okay? Just take care of each other until we can find out more." 

Fitz watched her relax, go almost limp, and let her head rest against the solid mass of his chest. "Okay," she answered, almost inaudibly. 

_Oh, Hell,_ Fitz swore in the privacy of his own head. _I can't watch her suffer if this would help her._

He approached slowly, clearing his throat so the taller man would glance his way. "Agent Triplett," he said. Triplett didn't tense, didn't retreat, just kept his reassuring hands on Simmons and watched Fitz approach. Fitz counted that in his favor. 

Fitz didn't know exactly how to word what he wanted to say, but he knew he had to try. 

Simmons turned her head just enough to peer at him through watery lashes, and he put a hand on her back, rubbing comfortingly, willing her to settle again, and she did, relaxing against Trip. 

Fitz forced himself to start talking. "I'm not sure how much you already know about this, but Jem and I have a sort of... unique relationship." 

"Relationship, as in...." Triplett prompted as Fitz slipped into silence again. 

"Yes. Well, and no. It's not a sexual relationship, and probably won't ever be. I'm not... I don't, eh.... I'm gay. I'm very gay." 

Triplett looked a little shocked, but he didn't pull away from where their arms nearly brushed in the vicinity of Jemma's shoulder, so Fitz thought it was mostly the 'then why are you in a relationship' kind of shock, which was infinitely better, although still aggravating, when he was confronted with it. 

Jemma sniffed, and then spoke, looking up at Triplett. "But he's a very good boyfriend, and I won't do anything to jeopardize that." 

Trip looked down at her, raising an eyebrow. "If you say so," he said, almost teasing, but the motion of his thumb across her shoulder let them know he was taking them seriously, possibly waiting for it all to make sense. "So do you flirt with all the tough guys, then leave 'em hanging to go back to your sweet little mechanical genius boyfriend?" The smile playing at the corners of his mouth also helped soften his words. 

Simmons echoed his hint of a smile. "Actually, it's technically an open relationship, although neither of us has really taken advantage of that, but we've been talking about maybe... agreeing on someone to bring in?" 

"Huh," Trip said, his face taking on a kind of surprised look of evaluation with just a hint of wonder. "And you agree on me?" 

Fitz nodded. "I believe we do," he said. "You brought her back safe. You're right that all we've really got to do right now is take care of each other. And I have no idea if you're even inclined... to either of us, but...." He took a deep breath. "I'd appreciate it if you would help me take care of Jemma." He ran his hand through Jem's hair. "Think she could use this." 

Triplett looked at him steadily, eyebrows still subtly raised in disbelief. "You love her," he said. 

"Yes, very much," Fitz agreed. "And she needs this. So I need this." 

Trip shook his head, looking up to the heavens in a sort of frustrated plea for guidance. "Common sense is telling me to run very far from something this potentially complicated," he said. "But the way I see it, my life is not gonna get simple anytime soon." He smiled down at Jemma again, warm but slightly bitter. "I mean, pretty much everything got knocked out from under me, and the only thing I've tried to trust since then is you, and, well, you haven't stabbed me yet." 

Simmons laughed and leaned farther into him. Fitz wasn't used to her having inside jokes with other people. But it was kind of nice, having help to cheer her up, seeing her face go bright again. That was all he needed. 

"I don't know whether you'd want me involved or not," Fitz broke in slightly awkwardly. 

"Of course we do!" Jemma said. "Well, at least I do. And anyway your bunk's much neater than mine, and bigger than the temporary ones." 

"Oh, I see how it is," Fitz replied, mock-offended. "You only want me for my freakishly neat organizational skills. Well, then. I'll be on my way." It was so much easier to joke and relax when Jemma was already calm and happy. 

Jem reached out and yanked him into the embrace, and suddenly Fitz was pressed against the warm, dark skin of a very well-built man in a singlet, of unknown sexual orientation. But it was okay, because Jemma was there too. 

Trip gave a breath of laughter at the look on Fitz's face, startled and flustered and a little pink. "Can't say I'd mind getting two beautiful scientists for the price of one," he told them jovially, slipping an arm around Fitz. 

Fitz only got redder. But he had to admit, if only in the privacy of his own head, that he'd missed this kind of attention. 

They adjourned to Fitz's bunk, if only to keep away from prying eyes, because they only had a little more than an hour before touchdown and they spent most of that time in a lazy, lighthearted make-out session. 

Trip's dark eyes and the scratch of his beard and the powerful tongue delving into his mouth were good. But Jemma's delicate little hand clenching his as she took her turn, the brightness in her eyes and the sound of her giggling, though not arousing in the same way, were still better. 

After a while, Simmons drew back and caught her breath in order to say, "Not that I'm not... appreciating this, but maybe we could put it on hold for now and, later, when there's time, do it properly?" 

Trip sighed, and then smiled, a little resigned but still sparkling with good humor. "I guess we will have things to do soon," he agreed, tilting his head a bit. "All right, save the world now, continue this later?" He leaned forward to give Jemma one last kiss, making her hum in appreciation, then he smacked her bottom lightly where it rested across his knees. She made a startled sound, but took his point and scrambled up, straightening her clothes and hair. 

Triplett turned towards Fitz, then, a self-satisfied smile now dominating his features, and gave him the same kind of kiss, deep and sexy and full of promise. 

Fitz's groan had some desperation to it, and he fought to keep himself from insisting on continuing this now. 

"Now that," declared Triplett, low and a little breathless, "is some real motivation to make sure the world keeps on turning." 

Trip got up as well, and the two left for their own corners of the plane, and Fitz just lay there, trying to absorb what had just happened and compose himself well enough to get himself off the bed and geared up for their next adventure. 

The team wasn't getting along so well, when he did manage to get down to business, and also Simmons kept shooting Trip these looks, warm and speculative and... something else. It was throwing him off. 

Suddenly he caught up to his own brain and why it was worrying him. 

It wasn't just attraction between her and Triplett. It was more, potentially a lot more. Which... he really didn't want it to bother him, so he hadn't thought about it. But it kind of did. 

They fell into step on the hike, talking over what was happening, why they were out here and the doubts they had about how things were going to turn out. 

"Well, we still have each other," Jemma said, smiling just for him. Her face was sweet and perfect and reassuring. He did take comfort in that. 

"Good. 'Cause the last thing that I want is for things to change." 

"Fitz. It's too late for that." Her smile turned bittersweet, and she set herself to continue walking. 

He knew she meant the team, SHIELD, which had been so much to both of them. But he had to wonder if, on some level, she was talking about them, about how inviting Triplett into their relationship had changed them. 

Fitz wasn't sure whether he could survive, if, someday, that ended up meaning she didn't need him any more. 


End file.
